Reading Coherence Initiative

1996–2000

During Regional Educational Laboratory
contract for FY1996-2000, SEDLs Reading Coherence Initiative
(RCI) project assisted educators in examining, understanding, and
implementing coherent approaches to teaching and learning that,
in turn, resulted in increased student learning. RCI supported coherent
approaches to teaching early literacy in grades K2 and preventing
early reading failure. SEDL developed The
Cognitive Foundations of Learning to Read: A Framework and
other resources to help teachers understand the cognitive requirements
of learning to read, determine the degree to which individual beginning
readers possess these skills, and select and use instructional techniques
and strategies that address the needs of individual children as
they acquire reading skills.

Field-based research

The framework is based on a comprehensive review of research and
development knowledge on the cognitive foundations of learning to
read. It was developed in partnership with 44 classroom teachers
in five elementary schools in New Mexico and 18 classroom teachers
in three elementary schools in Texas. All eight schools had significant
numbers of students who were experiencing difficulties learning
to read. When SEDL staff surveyed the teachers who participated
in the development and pilot tests, they found that:

More than 95 percent of the participating teachers indicated
that the resources provided useful information that would influence
their approach to reading instruction.

More than 85 percent of participating teachers were able to
cite specific examples of how they were approaching reading instruction
differently.

When asked to describe how SEDLs framework had affected
their practice, the most common answers described a more student-centered,
individualized approach and a more assessment-driven approach.

Most Of the remaining 14 percent indicated that they simply
had not had time to incorporate the information into their practice
yet.

SEDL products

In addition to The Cognitive Foundations of Learning to Read:
A Framework, SEDL resources include: